REF2014 – results and the way forwardSSHP Meeting12 March 2015

General points• Significant “grade inflation”, across all Units of Assessment• 4* research increased by 70%• Scores particularly high for “impact”• Change in funding formula to further favour 4* research in

relation to 3* research - from 3:1 to 4:1• Outputs: 65% of funding• Impact: 20% of funding• Environment: 15% of funding

Birkbeck overall

REF2014: • 46th by GPA• 30th by intensity-weighted GPA • submitted 83% of staff• 7 of 14 UoAs in top 20 by GPA (Psychology – 5th; Earth Systems –

6th; Biological Sciences – 11th; Sociology – 13th; Philosophy – 15th; Politics – 17th; History – 18th)

• 7 of 14 UoAs in top 20 by intensity (Psychology – 5th; Law – 6th; History – 7th; Sociology – 15th; Modern Languages & Linguistics – 17th; Economics – 17th; Earth Systems – 18th)

RAE2008: • 33rd by GPA• submitted 81% of staff

SSHP Overview

UoA (no. of submissions)

GPA rank

Changefrom 2008

% staff submitted

Intensityweighted GPA ranking

Difference between GPA & intensity weighted ranking

% 4* & 3*2014

% 4* & 3* 2008

% 4* 2014

% 4* 2008

% Change in 4*

Politics (56) 17 +1 71 34 -17 72 45 30 10 300Sociology (29)

13 +15 91 15 -2 71 35 22 5 440

Modern Lang & Ling (56)

26 - 88 17 +9 73 22 - -

History (83) 18 -11 94 7 +11 85 70 35 35 0Philosophy (40)

15 -3 82 24 -9 73 60 32 25 128

4* scores…

Overall• Politics – 30%• Sociology – 22%• Mod Lang & Ling – 22%• History – 35%• Philosophy – 32%

Outputs• Politics – 25%• Sociology – 18.8%• Mod Lang & Ling – 20.4%• History – 35.3%• Philosophy – 37.5%

4* scores …

Impact• Politics – 40%• Sociology – 40%• Mod Lang & Ling – 30%• History – 32%• Philosophy – 40%

Environment• Politics – 37.5%• Sociology – 12.5%• Mod Lang & Ling – 20%• History – 40%• Philosophy - 0

UoA Politics Sociology History Philosophy Modern Languages and Linguistics

Doctoral Degrees awarded per FTE

1.21 1.05 1.15 1.34 1.45

UoA average doctoral degrees per FTE

1.72 1.71 1.27 1.27 1.22

Research income £ per FTE

54,051 75,990 72,480 47,296 58,579

UoA Average research income £ per FTE

113,000 232,000 67,000 70,000 74,000

Annual Research Review

The School Executive has agreed• To institute an annual Research Review process at School level, by UoA – to

take place at the end of second term, modelled on Portfolio Review• That this Review should involve the AD Research, UoA lead/ research

director, AD for each department within the UoA, Exec Dean, and UoA leads/ research directors for two other departments, plus the relevant ASM

• That the first Research Review (2015) should carry out a critical review of REF2014 performance and should identify actions to be taken forward

• Each year, the Research Review should review research over the previous calendar year (2014 in the first instance), focusing on individual outputs, developments in the research environment, including PhD submissions, studentships, research grant income, and impact activities and development

• That each member of the academic staff should complete a standardized form addressing the above, for the previous calendar year to be submitted to the School, and held on file, in order to build a database of information for the next REF.

Other actions…• Decisions about UoAs for REF2020• Appointment of UoA Leads• Work on developing impact • Doctoral training review • Research grant generation – importance of lead times,

preparation & peer review• Development of individual research plans• Research mentoring

Results by UoAUoA (no. of submissions)

GPA ranking Changefrom 2008

% staff submitted

Intensity-weighted GPA ranking

Difference between GPA & intensity weighted ranking

% 4* & 3*2014

% 4* & 3* 2008

Biological Sciences (44) – with UCL

11 + 9 71 25 (UCL 5) 82 55

Psychology (82)

5 0 86 5 0 89 70

Earth Systems (43) – with UCL

6 -3 82 18 (UCL 8) 92 80

Computer Science (89)

41 -12 78 39 +2 68 65

Economics (28)

22 -4 79 17 +5 59 70

Business and Management (101)

68 -33 70 40 +28 49 50

Law (67) 23 +22 94 6 +17 73 30Politics (56) 17 +1 71 34 -17 72 45Sociology (29)

13 +15 91 15 -2 71 35

Modern Languages & Linguistics (56)

26 new 88 17 +9 73

English (89) 44 -21 91 29 +15 75 60History (83) 18 -11 94 7 +11 85 70Philosophy (40)

15 -3 82 24 -9 73 60

Art and Design (84)

38 -24 87 22 +16 71